


Too Late

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Angst, Futurefic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-30
Updated: 2003-01-30
Packaged: 2017-11-01 07:12:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/353581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex rules Metropolis, but what happens when a questionable business deal attracts the attention of Superman?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Late

## Too Late

by Jeanie-Sheba

[]()

* * *

Lex Luthor was alone in his Metropolis apartment, musing over his latest business venture. LexCorp had just acquired a chain of sweatshops in Korea. It wasn't an area that the company had ever been involved in before. There would be an outcry, he knew. But the end did justify the means after all. 

At 28, Lex had done as expected and conquered the world before reaching 30. He had lived up to the image of Alexander The Great, that his father had held up before him since he was a small boy. Lex wondered what Alexander would have thought about the world today. Lex had a much bigger playground than Alexander had ever dreamed existed. 

"Alexander fought many battles, and took of the strongholds of all, and slew the kings of the earth. And he went through even to the ends of the earth, and took the spoils of many nations. And the earth was quiet before him..." Lex quoted softly to himself. "...And he gathered a power, and a very strong army; and his heart was exalted and lifted up. And he subdued countries of nations, and princes; and they became tributary to him..." 

Suddenly Lex felt a gust of wind beside him, and he caught a glimpse of a blur of movement before he found himself bound to the chair he was sitting in. A tall figure strode to the window, and stood looking out. All Lex could see of him was a dark head and a red cape. In a low voice, the figure continued the quotation. 

"...And after these things, he fell down upon his bed, and knew that he should die." 

"Is that what's going to happen to me?" Lex asked. There was no indication in his voice of either his outrage at being treated like this, or his fear for the way this encounter could end. "Do you expect me to 'fall down upon my bed'? Or are you planning on killing me? I didn't think that was the way you worked Superman." 

"You shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers Luthor" Superman replied quietly. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you yet" 

Lex pursed his lips in annoyance. This was nothing more than a waste of his time. 

"Perhaps you could tell me what it is that has given me the honour of your attention? As you say, I do read the papers. You seem more the type to be rescuing suicide attempts and helping little old ladies across the street. Isn't there a cat up a tree somewhere you should be attending to?" 

Superman didn't seem to notice the biting sarcasm in Lex's voice. Or, if he did, he chose to ignore it. When he finally spoke again, it was in the same measured tones. As if he was talking to himself more than Lex. 

"When I came to Metropolis, it was because I wanted to 'make a difference' I guess. I wanted to do my bit to save the world. I never thought I'd have to save it from you though Le...Luthor. Your father perhaps, but you always had a conscience." 

"What could you possibly know about me?" Lex interrupted angrily. "I am my father's son. Why should you expect anything different? I suppose it's my new little factories that you've come about. Well they're none of your business." 

"That's where you're wrong. They are my business. I'm making _you_ my business Lex. There are things I want to know." 

Lex couldn't contain a shiver as he heard that. He was trying to maintain his fury, but it was becoming harder and harder as he found himself being lulled by that voice. It was a voice he had an annoying urge to succumb to. He wanted to beg for forgiveness, promise anything, as long as the voice promised never to go away. Only his years of training was keeping him from doing just that, and keeping the edge in his voice. 

"Should I be honoured?" he asked bitingly. "The great Superman, taking an interest in me. What is that I can help you with then? You know you could just have gone to my PR people. It would have saved you a lot of trouble." 

"I want to know what happened to you" Lex could have sworn he heard a note of sadness in the voice then. "I want to know what happened to the Lex Luthor of 21, who was only in charge of one factory, but managed to make it the most efficient factory for miles, and did it without laying off workers, despite what his father wanted. 

I want to know what happened to the Lex Luthor of 23, who was voted Metropolis' Humanitarian of the Year. 

I want to know what happened to make you suddenly buy a chain of sweatshops, after so many years of doing business the right way" 

"If I tell you, will you go away?" Lex asked, giving in suddenly. "Will that satisfy your 'super' curiosity?" 

"It might. Why don't you try me." 

"Well the first thing you have to know, is that it's not a sudden change. It's just that it never made sense for me to do this before. But now, it has the potential to bring me great rewards. Provided of course that you don't ruin it for me. But that's not what you want to know, is it? You want to know when I lost my 'conscience' as you call it. 

The thing is, I never had one. Not really. What I did have, were reasons to behave in 'acceptable' ways. And when I was 21, I had the biggest reason of my life. I had a friend." 

Lex saw Superman's shoulders twitch, and thought for a moment he was going to turn around. When he didn't, Lex continued talking. 

"There was a young man. Younger than me, but that never seemed to matter much. He looked at me as though I could do anything. As though I was capable of doing great good. And for him, I did. I wanted him to be proud of me. 

You might think it strange, that Lex Luthor could be influenced by the opinion of a mere boy. But I was. I didn't even realise why at first. Not until I saw him mooning over an insipid little wannabe-princess. I was jealous of her, and that was like a slap in the face. I loved him..." 

"What...what happened?" asked Superman. 

"Nothing. That's what happened. Men don't make moves on other men, not in small towns in Kansas. Not even billionaires sons. And it was just as well. It wouldn't have worked out well." 

"But...why not?" 

"It was that boy who made me the man I am today, Superman. If you're looking for the why's and the how's, look there. If you want to know why I decided not to bother with public opinion anymore, look there. If you want to know what it was that made me finally lose faith in people, look there. 

He didn't trust me. 

Oh he trusted me to do the right thing, he trusted me enough to befriend me when the rest of the town wanted me gone. But he didn't trust me with himself. Every time I looked at him, I saw in his eyes that he was hiding from me. 

Strange things happened around him. It was a strange town, but of all the inhabitants, he was the mystery. He always seemed to show up to save the day, but would never explain how he did it. He saved my life many times. That's how vulnerable I was to him. He literally had my life in his hands, over and over. But, even with that, he wasn't willing to be vulnerable to me. He would never tell me what he was hiding. He didn't trust me not to use it against him. 

And that Superman, that is why I no longer care whether I'm doing 'right' anymore. Because it doesn't matter. If the man I loved, my best friend couldn't see that I was capable of being a good man, then why should I be?" 

Superman stood there in silence for a long time. Lex didn't say anything more. He was already regretting having said as much as he did, but after he started it had been impossible to stop. The years of bitterness had come flooding out. Finally Superman responded, with what sounded like a shaking voice. 

"What if he were to come to you now? What if he were to say that he wished he'd told you his secrets? What if he were to say that he had been in love with you, and that's why he never said anything. Not because he didn't trust you, but because his love for you already gave you so much power over him, that he felt he needed to keep his deepest secrets back. Because if he didn't then he would lose himself in you, and he didn't feel able to cope with that." 

Lex gripped the arms of the chair tightly, and tried to stop his breath from quickening before he replied. 

"It's a pretty fantasy Superman, but a little far-fetched, don't you think? Or are you planning on bribing my little Kansas farm boy, in the name of the greater good? 

Superman slowly straightened from where he'd been leaning on the windowsill, and turned to face Lex. Lex's eyes widened when he saw the face, older but so familiar, ravaged by grief. His hand reflexively moved to touch him, but was stopped by the rope. 

"It's true Lex..." whispered Clark. "I was terrified of you. Not because I thought you'd use my secrets against me. You were the person I wanted to tell more than anyone. I was afraid because I felt like I was slipping away. The main focus of my life was you. There was you, and there was my secret. I thought that if I told you about me, then my secret would be about you too, and there'd be nothing left that was just me." 

"And now?" asked Lex evenly. He was more in control of himself now. 

"Now? Now I've found out who I am. Now I know myself enough to know that I can love, and I can trust, and I'll still be me. Am I too late Lex? 

"Untie me." 

Clark lowered his eyes, and resignedly unbound Lex. He went back to the window and looked out, shoulders slumped. 

"You say this is my fault, and you could be right. So I'll fix it. But don't worry. You won't see me again." 

Lex laughed softly and came up behind Clark, wrapping his arms around him. Clark turned, wide eyed, and looked down at him. 

"Wha...?" 

"It's never too late Clark. Never too late for new beginnings my love. Anyway, there's something you ought to know." Clark looked wary. 

"What's that?" 

"I never intended those sweatshops to stay in operation. I'm going to close them down, and use the premises to build low-cost housing." 

Clark looked confused, and stepped away. 

"Why didn't you tell me that at the beginning? Why go through all that?" Lex smirked. 

"And waste all that effort? Clark, why do you think I chose to build there?" 

"I suppose you're going to tell me..." 

"Because I knew that if I suddenly bought a sweatshop, after years of blameless living, Superman was bound to show up wondering why. How else was I going to flush you out of hiding?" 

Clark stood there, staring at Lex as though he had suddenly sprouted an extra arm. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing emerged. Lex moved forward, into Clark's arms again, and laid his head against his chest. 

"I always knew, Clark. As soon as 'Superman' appeared in the newspapers. It couldn't be anyone but you. And I hoped, like you did just now, that it wasn't...too late." 


End file.
